No offense to the people that die when trying to 'rescue' their dogs in the waves, but every time this seems like a Darwin award. Oh, wait, my dog just got swept up in the waves of a northern california beach? Oh, right, I'll just jump into the 50 degree water in my clothes and shoes and drag him out. Never mind the undertow, the possible steep drop off, the surging waves, and the air temperature in winter. I'll disregard all 'smart' cognitive thinking and react on pure emotions and let super human adrenaline take over to save the day. Seriously, this happens more than once every year, especially around this time. Couple walks along beach with dog. Dog, for whatever reason, gets caught by a larger than normal wave. Couple freaks out because the dog is now swimming in the waves. "Oh no!" Dogs swim. They have fur, and are ALWAYS alive after these incidents. Humans, in their moment of emotional exacerbation do something stupid and willingly jump into the tumultuous ocean. Really? Reeeeaaallly? Don't you read the news? Haven't you heard of this happening before? I have only been in California 10 years, and read about this EVERY FREAKIN YEAR! Note to self: If I am ever in this situation, even with a prized, award winning, family loved, most adorable, smartest, mans best friend, then let the dog figure it out! Prod him on with screams of encouragement. Make him want land more than normal. Seriously.

Maybe this is just a rant of my delirious state of being in the throws of the seasonal flu. But seriously, we are supposed to have these great sponges of cognitive ability and it gets wasted in moments like this.

Blackbird wrote:No offense to the people that die when trying to 'rescue' their dogs in the waves, but every time this seems like a Darwin award. Oh, wait, my dog just got swept up in the waves of a northern california beach? Oh, right, I'll just jump into the 50 degree water in my clothes and shoes and drag him out. Never mind the undertow, the possible steep drop off, the surging waves, and the air temperature in winter. I'll disregard all 'smart' cognitive thinking and react on pure emotions and let super human adrenaline take over to save the day. Seriously, this happens more than once every year, especially around this time. Couple walks along beach with dog. Dog, for whatever reason, gets caught by a larger than normal wave. Couple freaks out because the dog is now swimming in the waves. "Oh no!" Dogs swim. They have fur, and are ALWAYS alive after these incidents. Humans, in their moment of emotional exacerbation do something stupid and willingly jump into the tumultuous ocean. Really? Reeeeaaallly? Don't you read the news? Haven't you heard of this happening before? I have only been in California 10 years, and read about this EVERY FREAKIN YEAR! Note to self: If I am ever in this situation, even with a prized, award winning, family loved, most adorable, smartest, mans best friend, then let the dog figure it out! Prod him on with screams of encouragement. Make him want land more than normal. Seriously.

Maybe this is just a rant of my delirious state of being in the throws of the seasonal flu. But seriously, we are supposed to have these great sponges of cognitive ability and it gets wasted in moments like this.

A few years ago, I was checking out Rodeo Beach during a huge winter swell. There were these little kids 5-10 years old playing in the surge, laughing as the shorepound knocked them off their feet and dragged them back down the steeply sloped beach. There was a giant sideshore rip straight into some of the nastiest churning froth I've ever seen anywhere. It was really staggering to see how close they were to getting chowed until I shooed them back from the beach.

The parents were nowhere in sight. I found them up by their car and couldn't help yelling at them for being so stupid. I told them I wasn't going to jump into that water to save their kids even WITH a wetsuit, it was so hairball I was sure pretty much anybody would have died in that mess.

Most folks that get chowed by the waves like that are operating out of ignorance, but it's hard to overestimate how dumb even otherwise intelligent people can be. It sill makes me mad thinking about those parents, even if I normally try to mind my own business.......those kids missed getting killed by a whisker......

Darwinism sounds harsh, but if giant waves and massive water doesn't inspire due caution and heightened vigilance over the kids/animals you love (including yourself)........there's a part missing someplace in your noggin.

Where I grew up we didn't consider 50 degrees and overcast a good day to go play in the water at the beach but apparently there are plenty of families around here that seem to think that is a fun way to spend a weekend afternoon

What amazes me is the kids playing in the thigh high churn in just shorts at OB on said days.